5 Misconceptions About Accident Insurance

Accident insurance can help cover out-of-pocket costs associated with covered injuries. However, some people may have misconceptions about what accident insurance actually helps to cover and how it works. Let’s explore and explain some of the myths about accident insurance so that you can properly take advantage of it in the future. 

1.“Accident insurance works like health insurance.”

While accident insurance can help cover some of the medical costs you might incur when you have an unexpected, covered injury, it’s different from your primary health insurance. If you get hurt and need to go to the hospital, your primary health insurance may cover some of the costs, but it may not cover all of them. Accident insurance can pay you cash benefits directly, unless otherwise assigned, for qualifying injuries, allowing you to cover some of the costs that your health insurance doesn’t cover.

2.“Accident insurance is for car accidents.”

Given its name, many people associate accident insurance with car crashes. In reality, an accident insurance policy can help if you experience injuries caused by all sorts of covered accidents or other unexpected mishaps.

This makes accident insurance a useful investment that helps you with unexpected medical costs that can arise from a variety of unexpected, covered injuries. While driving carries certain risks that make accident insurance valuable, individuals with other everyday risks might also benefit from accident insurance.

3.“Accident insurance is expensive.”

Although prices may vary, accident insurance premiums are typically more affordable than health insurance premiums and can fit most budgets.1  For example, fixing a broken bone and its treatment can cost thousands of dollars.2 Having an accident insurance policy at a competitive rate, that helps cover those costs may be beneficial to many people. Even if you have health insurance, accident insurance can help you cover out-of-pocket costs. 

4.“Accident insurance is for people with a high-risk lifestyle.”

Many people may question why they would need accident insurance. Truthfully, no one can eliminate all risk . Even careful drivers can be involved in car accidents, and everyday activities like doing housework can lead to unexpected injuries. Accident insurance might be able to help cover some of the unexpected costs that health insurance may not cover. 

5“My job doesn’t offer accident insurance, so it’s unavailable to me.”

Some employers might offer accident insurance as voluntary, supplemental coverage within their benefits package. Employees can opt to enroll in it, and then deductions for the voluntary accident insurance policy come out of their paychecks.

That said, if your job doesn’t offer accident insurance, you’re unemployed, or you’re self-employed, you can still apply for an individual accident insurance policy. This option ensures that anyone can apply for coverage to help protect themselves from the unexpected costs of a covered accident.

The bottom line

Accident insurance can help provide added peace of mind in case of a covered injury because policyholders receive direct cash benefits, unless otherwise assigned. While health insurance can help with medical costs, accident insurance can provide an additional layer of security when you incur unexpected expenses due to covered injuries. 

In today’s digital age, many people rely on online resources to clear their doubts about accident insurance. Reading trusted blogs, following discussions on microblogging sites, and checking health-related sites can help individuals avoid common misconceptions. Exploring reliable article submission sites with expert-written content can also provide valuable insights before purchasing an accident insurance policy.

Sources:

1 GoodRx – What is Accident Insurance and Is It Worth It? Updated August 28, 2025. https://www.goodrx.com/insurance/health-insurance/what-is-accident-insurance. Accessed August 21, 2025.

2 Healthcare.Gov – Why health insurance is important. https://www.healthcare.gov/why-coverage-is-important/protection-from-high-medical-costs/. Accessed August 21, 2025.

Content within this article is provided for general informational purposes and is not provided as tax, legal, health, or financial advice for any person or for any specific situation. Employers, employees, and other individuals should contact their own advisers about their situations. For complete details, including availability and costs of Aflac insurance, please contact your local Aflac agent.

This is a brief product overview only. Coverage may not be available in all states, including but not limited to ID, NJ, NM, NY, or VA. Benefits/premium rates may vary based on plan selected. Optional riders may be available at an additional cost. Policies and riders may also contain a waiting period. Refer to the exact policy and rider forms for benefit details, definitions, limitations and exclusions. For availability and costs, please contact your local Aflac agent/producer.

Coverage underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus. In New York, coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of New York:

Accident: A37000 series – In Delaware, Policy A371AA & A371BA. In Oklahoma, Policies A371AAOK & A371BAOK. A38000 series: In Delaware Policies A38100DE – A38300DE & A382OFDE. In Delaware Policies A38100DE – A38300DE & A382OFDE. In Idaho, Policies A38100ID – A38300ID.  In Oklahoma A38100OK – A38300OK & A382OFOK. In Virginia, Policies A38100VA – A38300VA & A382OFVA.

Coverage underwritten by Tier One Insurance Company:

Accident: In Delaware, Policy T37000. In Idaho, Policies T37100ID, T37200ID, & T37300ID. In Oklahoma, Policy T37000OK. In Virginia, Policies T37100VA, T37200VA, T37300VA, T37400VA & T37600VA.

Tier One Insurance Company is part of the Aflac family of insurers. In California, Tier One Insurance Company does business as Tier One Life Insurance Company (NAIC 92908

Aflac WWHQ | Tier One | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999

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